


go we in content

by kerrykhat



Category: Toby Daye - Seanan McGuire
Genre: Bechdel Test Pass, Family, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-02-01
Updated: 2013-02-01
Packaged: 2017-11-27 18:49:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 803
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/665264
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kerrykhat/pseuds/kerrykhat
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Oak and ash, I'm not caffeinated enough to deal with this shit," I muttered, staring at the dead mouse in front of my bedroom door.</p>
            </blockquote>





	go we in content

**Author's Note:**

> **Disclaimer:** Seanan McGuire owns the "October Daye Series" and all related characters; I own nothing.
> 
> **Author's Notes:** Written for the prompt "mouse" for Taming the Muse over on LJ. Title comes from William Shakespeare's _As You Like It_.

I looked down at the mouse--or rather the decapitated remains of a mouse--that lay neatly outside my bedroom door. I blinked once, twice, but it was still there. Great. Just what I needed to find first thing in the morning. Evening. Whatever. Morning is when you wake up, right?

"Oak and ash, I'm seriously not caffeinated enough to be dealing with this shit," I muttered under my breath, brushing back my hair out of my face. I winced as my hand hit the pointed edge of my ear. I'm still not completely used to the changes Amandine did to my body. Although it’s been a little over a month, I’m still adjusting to the consequences of her rebalancing my blood to save me from elf-shot. It figures that my mom would go crazy, disappear, and then only come back to screw with my life some more by saving it. First and not least of all, finding out that near everything she'd told me was a lie.

I really needed coffee if I wanted to indulge myself in further existential crises. Oh the joy of being a caffeine addicted changeling.

"Evening, Toby," my roommate and former Fetch, May, called out from the living room. Her girlfriend, Jazz, was nowhere to be seen. Probably out doing diurnal fae things.

I grunted in response, making a beeline towards the coffee pot. Pouring myself a mug, I downed half of it before I replied. “Morning, May.”

“What’s got you in a mood? Other than the normal?” she asked, moving into the kitchen.

It was still creepy to see what used to be my face on another person, especially now that I didn’t recognize myself. Her feature were softer than mine with fewer sharp angles. Eyes that used to mirror mine peered at me from recently shortened brown hair. As weird as it sounds, I kinda miss my old face.

I sighed, topping up my coffee so that I could actually prepare it this time. “Either Cagney or Lacey left the remains of a small rodent in front of my room,” I explained. 

May wrinkled her nose in disgust. “Yuck,” she agreed, walking over to the counter and snagging an apple. For all that she used to be a functional copy of me, May seemed to have missed some of the personality essentials. Mainly that coffee and junk food formed a good chunk of my food groups. There really is no accounting for taste.

“So are you going to take care of it?” she asked, following me out to the living room. The two offending felines were nowhere to be seen. Spike, our resident rose goblin, waited until I was sitting to crawl into my lap and rattle its thorns invitingly. 

“Ugh, I guess,” I grumbled into my coffee, petting Spike with my free hand. After another cup or so. And maybe some Lucky Charms. I think we still had some around.

“I bet it’s because they missed you. I mean, you were gone longer than usual and you came back, well, not yourself.”

I eyed May over the top of my mug. “So it’s a much-belated welcome home present?”

She gave me a look that said it all. I had been owned by Cagney and Lacey ever since I’d escape the p0nd. What else did I seriously expect?

“I’ll be sure to thank them when those two furry ingrates poke their faces out of wherever they’re hiding,” I sighed. 

“Good. Hopefully this will be a one-time thing. I don’t want them to get any ideas and start leaving mice outside _my_ door.”

I laughed and leaned my head against May’s shoulder. I should be moving, should be preparing for the night ahead. I had a knowe to restore, a County to run, subjects to care and provide for, an actual paying job to return to, sword lessons with Sylvester to attend... I took another sip of coffee to keep myself from being overwhelmed.

The last month had been a roller coaster, and from this perspective, the future wasn’t looking any different. But for now, I was happy to sit on the couch with May, letting myself relax. The only big, semi-important thing to think about was the fact I still had a dead mouse outside my bedroom. That, and changing the channel away from whatever B-horror movie May was watching.

“Don’t even think about it,” May chided, switching the remote to her other hand and ignoring my pout.

“Meanie.”

“You know it,” she replied happily.

“Just you wait. Soon enough, Cagney and Lacey will decide you aren’t courting Jazz properly and start leaving _you_ gifts as a reminder.”

Everything around us was changing, almost too quickly for me to get a handle on. But for now? 

For now, this was perfect. Dead mouse and all.


End file.
